'Puppy Dog Pals' Teaches Kindness & Cooperation to Toddlers

Disney Jr. has put together a whole new DVD presentation of its popular cartoon Puppy Dog Pals (coming April 10, 2018), which follows fun-loving, adorable pug brothers Bingo (Issac Ryan Brown) and Rolly (Sam Lavagnino) as they go on adventures throughout their neighborhood—and around the world—because they just can’t help themselves! They live, breathe and wag their stubby tails all in the name of fun.

The pups’ motto is that life is always more exciting with your best friends by your side. For Bingo and Rolly, those friends include owner Bob (Harland Williams, who is also the series creator), his sarcastic cat Hissy (Jessica DiCicco), and his robot dog A.R.F. (also known as Auto-Doggy Robotic Friend; voiced by Tom Kenny). The moral of every story is that being kind and using teamwork is the best way to be a good citizen. It’s a great springboard to talk to your youngsters about how to interact with others.

The Volume 1 DVD fetches two hours of pure pup entertainment, including episodes with clever titles such as Hawaii Pug-Oh, The French Toast Connection, and Ice Ice Puggy. What’s more, Puppy Dog Palsis one of the few shows out there without any inappropriate content whatsoever. It’s exciting and fast-paced but never scary or too intense. There are some clever twists, as well: For example, when Bingo and Rolly’s owner talks to them, they hear it as barking.

Kids who love animals will like Puppy Dog Pals even more, because the characters are well defined. Bingo and Rolly are adventurous, excitable and gregarious, while Hissy is your typical blasé cat who still manages to get roped into the shenanigans and does so in good humor. While they are anthropomorphic, they still come across as fairly believable house pets (given the setting, of course). The running gag throughout each episode is that Bingo and Rolly have to make it home before Bob returns from work—it’s always a race against the clock.

While adults may go into sensory-overload with the constant barrage of sight and sound, kiddos—especially those in the toddler stage—are absolutely bonkers for Puppy Dog Pals and it keeps them entertainment for hours on end. What’s not to love?